Download Chapter 3: Alto Clef

How to Read Sheet Music
By: Lisset Alba, Azure Bradger, Jess Bradshaw, Alissa Crowder
Table of Content
iii
Table of Contents
Contents
Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................................... iii
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... v
Musical Staff ......................................................................................................................................... 3
Note Pitches .......................................................................................................................................... 3
Sharps, Natural, and Flats ..................................................................................................................... 4
Musical Keys ........................................................................................................................................ 4
Time Signatures .................................................................................................................................... 5
Chapter 2: Treble Clef .................................................................................................................................. 9
Range .................................................................................................................................................... 9
Treble Clef Instruments ...................................................................................................................... 10
Chapter 3: Alto Clef .................................................................................................................................... 15
Range .................................................................................................................................................. 15
Alto Clef Instruments .......................................................................................................................... 16
Chapter 4: Reading Tenor Clef ................................................................................................................... 21
Range .................................................................................................................................................. 21
Tenor Clef Instruments ....................................................................................................................... 22
Chapter 5: Bass Clef ................................................................................................................................... 27
Range .................................................................................................................................................. 27
Bass Clef Instruments ......................................................................................................................... 28
Frequently Asked Questions in Music ........................................................................................................ 31
What are ledger lines? ......................................................................................................................... 31
What is the purpose of the range? ....................................................................................................... 31
How long does it take to learn how to read sheet music? ................................................................... 31
What do the numbers behind the letter notes mean?........................................................................... 31
Is sheet music hard to learn? ............................................................................................................... 31
Who can benefit from learning to read sheet music? .......................................................................... 31
What are the markings in some of the songs called? .......................................................................... 31
Glossary ...................................................................................................................................................... 33
Resources .................................................................................................................................................... 36
Index ........................................................................................................................................................... 36
Introduction
Introduction
Reading sheet music may sound frightening but before anyone starts to panic,
first let us look at what music is defined as. Music is the art of creating a harmonic
sound through the use of different rhythms, pitches and tones. The use of music can
cause an emotional response from the audience but its purpose is to express one’s
emotions.
In this manual you will find the basic and most fundamental steps needed when
learning to read sheet music.
You will be introduced to…
● Time and key signatures, which are located to the right of the clef symbol
on the music sheet.
● The middle C, which is on the first ledger line.
● The four clefs, which will include the Alto clef, Bass clef, Treble clef, and
Tenor clef.
● The ranges of each musical clef.
You will read about the majors and minors of keys; where majors are keys with
the
note 3 steps away, and minors are notes that are 2 ½ steps away. Also included
in this manual are various lines of music to give the reader practice in reading sheet
music. These lines of music were taken from free samples of music submitted on
8notes.com.
3rd
v
Chapter 1: Before You Read Sheet Music
Chapter 1
3
Before you begin reading about the clef of your choice (or all of them), there are certain
terminology and concepts to know. In this chapter, we will discuss:
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What the musical staff is
What note pitch numbers are
What sharps, naturals, and flats are
How to identify musical keys (including enharmonics)
What time signatures are
Musical Staff
Music is written on a 5-lined bar called a staff (see Graphic 1). The notes are split
throughout the music into sections called measures. Remembering these points are
essential to every kind of musician:

Each line and space represents a space where a note can be placed.

Notes are labeled starting with the letter C, then proceed to D, E, F, and G, then A
and B, and the series repeats.

Symbols determine the way the measures are played, whether they are repeated,
or even if they are silent. (see Graphic 2)

Basic notes range as long as a whole note (which lasts 4 beats) or as short as a
16th note (which lasts ¼ of a beat). These symbols are placed in various
combinations to give us the sounds we all commonly enjoy. (Graphic 2)
Graphic 1: Musical Staff
Graphic 2: Table of various notes and rests
Note Pitches
The pitch of a note is how high or low the note is heard. The higher the pitches
are, the higher their pitch reference number is. In reading sheet music, the
instrumentalist must remember that every musical staff is written around what’s called
Middle C. Middle C is the centermost note in musical pitch. It is referenced as C4, and is
the main route in which a person chooses a clef when composing music. The human ear
can hear a wide range of frequencies, but for the purposes of music, most songs are
written to accommodate comfortable ranges (see Graphic 3), so the highest pitch used is
around the 8th octave (octave: see glossary). The number is the reference to what pitch
octave it is in, and the letter is the note.
Graphic 3: Frequency ranges of common instruments
Sharps, Natural, and Flats
In music, there are various pitches that can be used to create the imagery the writer
wants. Sharps, naturals, and flats are used to identify the halfway points in between
notes to specify these pitches.



Sharps are used to raise a note pitch half a level.
Flats are used to lower a note pitch half a level.
Naturals are used to remove any sharps or flats added to a note in a key
signature.
Graphic 4: Sharps, naturals, and flats
If they are not written at the beginning of the piece or measure as a musical key, then
the change in pitch is only for the measure it is written in.
Musical Keys
Musical keys are determined by the note above the last sharp, or the 2nd-to-last flat (F
major is determined by the 5th note above its only flat). Natural markings are only
included in key signatures if the key is changing in the middle of the song. Scales begin
and end on the letter by which they are called. The key can be defined by a major note
change (the 7th note is always half a step from the 8th) or a minor note change (where
Chapter 1
5
the 2nd note is a half-step away from the 3rd). The relative minor to a major key always
begins from the 6th note of the scale.
There are 6 major keys with sharps:
1. The G scale (E Minor) has 1 sharp: F#
2. The D scale (B Minor) has 2 sharps: F# and C#
3. The A scale (F# Minor) has 3 sharps: F#, C#, and G#
4. The E scale (C# Minor) has 4 sharps: F#, C#, G#, and D#
5. The B scale (G# Minor) has 5 sharps: F#, C#, G#, D#, and A#
6. The F# scale (D# Minor) has 6 sharps: F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, and E#.
In the direction of the flats, we have the F scale, the B flat scale, the E flat scale, the A
flat scale, the D flat scale, the G flat scale, and the C flat scale. Each of these can also be
identified by the second-to-last flat on the staff, and contains one more flat than the
previous scale.
1. F (D Minor) has 1 flat: B
2. Bb (G Minor) has 2: B, E
3. Eb (C Minor) has 3: B, E, A
4. Ab (F Minor) has 4: B, E, A, D
5. Db (Bb Minor) has 5: B, E, A, D, G
6. Gb (Eb Minor) has 6: B, E, A, D, G, C
The scales not listed, F# and Cb, are considered enharmonic scales (see glossary:
enharmonic). These scales have those “copycat” notes that are more commonly called
other names.
Time Signatures
Time signatures are the method that music is counted, so that a musician can track their
place in a song. It is written with the top number representing the number of beats in a
measure, and the bottom number represents the note used to measure each beat.
Chapter 2: Treble Clef
Chapter2
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Chapter 2: Treble Clef
Treble clef is the most common clef used by musicians. It is used for middle to higher
pitched instruments such as trumpet, violin, and flute. Treble clef is arranged to make
reading higher notes much easier for the high-pitched instruments, by placing Middle C
lower in the staff. Below is a picture of the C Major scale in treble clef (Graphic 5). Note
the red line references the location of Middle C.
Graphic 5: The C Major scale in treble clef
Range
When reading treble clef, remember that the treble clef is the highest range used in
music. Because there is no way to assist the reader using another clef, the highest of
notes have several written in lines, called ledger lines, to mark their place on the staff to
the reader. To read treble clef, remember:
1. The end of the treble clef represents the location of G4.
2. Each space represents a different letter of the staff: F, A, C, and E. These letters
spell out FACE, which can help you to remember their arrangement on the staff.
3. The lines of the staff represent the unnamed letters: E, G, B, D, and F. Many
musicians learned this order by remembering the acronym Every Good Boy
Deserves Fudge.
4. Together, they read: E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E, and F.
Treble Clef Instruments
The instruments that most commonly read treble clef are violin, flute, clarinet,
saxophone, and trumpet. All of these instruments are used to play the higher pitches of
most songs and parts so they read treble clef to make it easier to read. Most of these
instruments also have extremely high ranges, so the added ledger lines at the top of the
staff are necessary for them to interpret a piece of music.
Below are lines of music to assist your reading levels. Finding additional music is also a
great way to gain practice. 8notes.com has music for any instrument.
London Bridge Is Falling Down
Chapter2
Ode To Joy
11
Chapter 3: Alto Clef
Chapter 3
15
Chapter 3: Alto Clef
Much like the treble, the alto clef is created for higher pitched instruments, however, is
written to be used for the lower range of those instruments. Sometimes called a thirdline C-clef it is only regularly used by the viola. When lower instruments play in higher
pitch ranges, their music is written in alto clef to avoid those ledger lines.
Range
When reading music in the alto clef, one must remember that the whole range is
centered around middle C. It can extend as low as G3 or as high as F6.
Figure 6: Alto Clef Staff
Let us look at the lines of the staff:
1. The centermost line (in between the humps of the B) represents middle C (C4).
2. From lowest to highest lines, notes are named as F, A, C, E, and G. This can be
remembered by thinking of the word FACE-G.
3. The spaces include the letters of notes that were skipped in the lines: G, B, D, and
F. This can be remembered by using the acronym Good Boys Deserve Fudge.
4. From lowest to highest note, the notes read: F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G.
Alto Clef Instruments
The interesting fact with Alto clef is its irregularity in music. The only instrument that
regularly uses the Alto clef is the viola. Other instruments, like the trombone, oboe, and
bassoon only use it when the range of the musical piece fits best in the alto clef.
Below are some select lines of music to practice reading in alto clef. Take some time to
get used to how the notes may skip several lines of the staff. If you can, try playing the
line on an instrument, to see how the note changes on paper sound in music.
Good King Wenceslas
Happy Birthday Song
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Chapter 3
Merrily We Roll Along
Hot Cross Buns
Old MacDonald Had A Farm
Yankee Doodle
17
Chapter 4: Tenor Clef
Chapter 4
21
Chapter 4: Reading Tenor Clef
Tenor clef is used much like alto clef. It is positioned on the fourth line of the staff,
where the humps of the “B” meet where middle C is located. It is often used as a
transition clef to treble clef for pieces written in higher pitches. As a transition clef,
tenor clef is widely used with lower pitched instruments. However, there are no
instruments that solely rely on tenor clef for composing.
Range
The range of tenor clef can be as low as D2 or as high as E5. In the tenor clef, the fourth
line represents middle C (C4). Notes below it can also be written easily in Bass Clef,
however, notes above it can easily be written in Treble Clef. The notes fall on the staff as
follows:
1. The lined notes are D, F, A, C, and E, from bottom to top. This can be
remembered by remembering the word “D-FACE”.
2. The notes in the spaces are E, G, B, and D. If we include the space above the top
line of the staff (which is F), we can remember this using the acronym Every
Good Boy Deserves Fudge.
3. In order, they fit as: D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E, and F in the space above the top line.
Tenor Clef Instruments
Instruments that play higher range music, such as the cello, bass, tuba, bassoon, or
trombone, use tenor clef as a transition into playing notes that range much higher than
the C4 in their normal clef, bass clef.
A good way to master the basics of reading tenor clef is to practice with sheet music that
transitions into it from treble and/or bass clef. Below are some selected lines from music
that can aid you in better reading.
Ave Maria
Ah, How Pleasant ‘Tis To Love
Menuett
Canon in Bb
Chapter 4
Bb Major Scale
Picardy
Eb Major
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
23
Chapter 4
25
Chapter 5: Bass Clef
Chapter 5
27
Chapter 5: Bass Clef
Bass clef is the second most common clef used by musicians. It is used for lower
instruments such as trombone, string bass, cello, and tuba. Bass clef is arranged to make
reading lower notes much easier for the low-pitched instruments. Bass clef is written so
that Middle C (C4) is placed higher in the staff. Below is a graphic of the bass clef.
Range
The note names are still the same as they are with other clefs, but they’re organized
differently on the musical staff and the note names are correlated to different pitches.

A rule of thumb for identifying notes in bass clef is to remember the acronym
GBDFA (Good Boys Deserve Fudge Always). This is the order of the arrangement
of letters on the staff, from the lowest line to the highest line.

The spaces in the staff can be remembered as A, C, E, and G. A great way to
remember their place on the staff is to remember the word “ACE-G”.

Together, they all read: G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and A.
The range of bass clef is equal to those of all other clefs, but extends far lower to
accommodate the lowest notes in music. The technical range of a bass clef part is from
C2 all the way up to C5.
Bass Clef Instruments
The instruments that most commonly read bass clef are trombone, cello, euphonium,
string bass, bassoon, and tuba. All of these instruments are used to play the lower
pitches of most songs and parts, so they read bass clef to make it easier to read. Tuba
and euphonium especially need bass clef due to the extensive lower range needed for
their parts.
Below are some lines of music to help you practice reading the bass clef.
Pomp And Circumstance
Polovtsian Dance
Chapter 5
Theme From 1812 Overture
Hush Little Baby
Oh Come, All Ye Faithful
29
Chapter 5
31
Frequently Asked Questions in Music
What are ledger lines?
Ledger lines are written above and below the musical staff to assist the reader in seeing
the difference between each note.
What is the purpose of the range?
The range is great to know when a musician is transposing a musical piece to a different
instrument. For example, if a tuba player chose to play a clarinet concerto, then the
player would have to know how high of a range they will play.
How long does it take to learn how to read sheet music?
With daily practice, a new musician can be reading pages of music within a few days. As
a person’s experience grows, they can advance into more sonatas, concerto, and other
classical pieces, as well as jazz and modern music.
What do the numbers behind the letter notes mean?
The letters with numbers reference a pitch and the octave the pitch is in. Each pitch is at
a certain frequency, and the octaves measure a certain amount apart. Basically, the
higher the number is, the higher the frequency is, and the higher the note is.
Is sheet music hard to learn?
Every person comprehends music differently, therefore one person may believe learning
to read sheet music is easy while another can still believe it is hard. That being said,
learning will take some time but with effort and determination anyone can learn it.
Who can benefit from learning to read sheet music?
Everyone can benefit from learning to read music, especially musicians. Sheet music
gives people the chance to play different songs. It can also turn into a hobby that gives
people the time to relax, or even a life-long career. Anyone who can be around music can
benefit.
What are the markings in some of the songs called?
Some of the songs include slurs (large arcing lines connecting several notes), dotted
notes (elongates the note by half of the note’s value), fermatas (holding note for a longer
time than written), among many others. Most symbols can be ignored for the purpose of
learning, but will be necessary in the performing of any song.
Glossary
33
Glossary
Accelerando: A symbol used in musical notation indicating to gradually quicken tempo.
Alto Clef: The clef that establishes middle C as being on the third line of the staff. Also
known as Viola Clef.
Bass Clef: The sign placed on the music staff to indicate placement of the F below
middle C.
Beat: The unit of musical rhythm.
Chamber Music: Written for 2 to 10 solo parts featuring one instrument to a part. Each
part bears the same importance.
Chord: 3 or 4 notes played simultaneously in harmony.
Clef: A symbol at the beginning of the staff defining the pitch of the notes found in that
particular staff.
Duet: A piece of music written for two vocalists or instrumentalists.
Dynamics: Pertaining to the loudness or softness of a musical composition. Also the
symbols in sheet music indicating volume.
Enharmonic: A note, interval, or key signature that is equivalent to some other note,
interval, or key signature but "spelled", or named differently.
Ensemble: The performance of either all instruments of an orchestra or voices in a
chorus.
Fifth: The interval between two notes. Three whole tones and one semitone make up the
distance between the two notes.
Flat: A symbol indicating that the note is to be diminished by one semitone. Symbol:
Forte: A symbol indicating to play loud.
Fourth: The interval between two notes. Two whole tones and one semitone make up
the distance between the two notes.
Harmony: Pleasing combination of two or three tones played together in the
background while a melody is being played.
Instrumentation: Arrangement of music for a combined number of instruments.
Interlude: Piece of instrumental music played between scenes in a play or opera.
Interval: The distance in pitch between two notes.
Key: System of notes or tones based on and named after the key note.
Key signature: The flats and sharps at the beginning of each staff line indicating the key
of music the piece is to be played.
Major: One of the two modes of the tonal system. Music written in major keys have a
positive affirming character.
Measure: The unit of measure where the beats on the lines of the staff are divided up
into two, three, four beats to a measure.
Minor: One of the two modes of the tonal system. The minor mode can be identified by
the dark, melancholic mood.
Monotone: Repetition of a single tone.
Octave: Eight full tones above the key note where the scale begins and ends.
Octet: A composition written for eight instruments.
Piano: An instruction in sheet music to play softly. Abbreviated by a “p”.
Pitch: Relation of a sound to its wave frequency. The higher the pitch, the higher the
frequency.
Prelude: A short piece originally preceded by a more substantial work, also an orchestral
introduction to opera, however not lengthy enough to be considered an overture.
Relative major and minor: The major and minor keys that share the same notes in that
key.
Repeat Sign: A set of 2 dots placed before a double line indicating the repeat of a section
of music.
Resonance: When several strings are tuned to harmonically related pitches, all strings
vibrate when only one of the strings is struck.
Rhythm: The element of music pertaining to time, played as a grouping of notes into
accented and unaccented beats.
Scale: Successive notes of a key or mode either ascending or descending.
Sharp: A symbol indicating the note is to be raised by one semitone.
Staff: Made up of five horizontal parallel lines and the spaces between them on which
musical notation is written.
Temperament: Refers to the tuning of an instrument.
Tenor Clef: The C clef when placed on the musical staff to indicate that middle C is on
the fourth line from the bottom of the staff.
Time Signature: A numeric symbol in sheet music determining the number of beats to a
measure.
Glossary
35
Treble Clef: The clef that establishes G a fifth above middle C as being on the second line
of the staff.
Triple time: Time signature with three beats to the measure.
Tune: A rhythmic succession of musical tones, a melody for instruments and voices.
Tuning: The raising and lowering a pitch of an instrument to produce the correct tone of
a note.
Twelve-tone music: Music composed such that each note is used the same number of
times.
Unison: Two or more voices or instruments playing the same note simultaneously.
Whole note: A whole note is equal to 2 half notes, 4 quarter notes, 8 eighth notes, etc.
Resources
Cover:
Printable Colouring Pages. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from
http://printablecolouringpages.co.uk/?s=musical notes page border
Intro:
Music Theory. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from
http://musictheoryblog.blogspot.com/
How to Read Sheet Music. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015, from
http://readsheetmusic.info/basics_of_counting_rhythms.shtml
How to Read Sheet Music: Step-by-Step Instructions. (2014, April 11). Retrieved April
22, 2015, from http://www.musicnotes.com/blog/2014/04/11/how-to-read-sheetmusic/
Music Note Images. (n.d.). Retrieved April 27, 2015, from
http://www.freeallimages.com/music-note-images/
All sheet music samples retrieved from 8notes.com, a free sheet music sharing site.
Index
Alto clef, v, 16
Bass clef, v, 27
Flats
flat, iii, 4
key signatures, v, 4
major, v
Middle C, 3, 9, 27
minors, v
musical staff
staff, 3, 27, 31, 34
range, iii, 3, 9, 15, 16, 21, 22, 27, 28, 31
scales, 5
Sharps
sharp, iii, 4
sheet music, iii, v, 3, 22, 31, 33, 34, 35
Tenor clef, v, 21
Treble clef, v, 9